Wily's Legacy
by Kaz Anagros
Summary: Dr. Wily's legacy did not end with Bass or the eighth robot rebellion. But will his final and greatest creation bring destruction to the world? Only time will tell. Rated for violence and swearing.
1. An Unfortunate Reunion

Mega Man X: Wily's Legacy  
Chapter 1: An Unfortunate Reunion  
  
The lanterns in the mine flickered, shadows dancing upon the walls. The shaft appeared completely devoid of life and movement, but in this darkness Mega Man couldn't tell. He stumbled over the uneven ground, the path before him illuminated only by the glow of the fully charged buster shot in his left arm. Brown dust clung to his brilliant blue armor as he struggled through a particularly narrow passage.  
  
"It doesn't make sense..." Mega Man mumbled to himself, "Dr. Light's communication said Wily had taken-"His thoughts were interrupted as the ground gave way beneath him and Mega Man found himself tumbling down a metal tube. The bottom was still out of sight but he had a good idea of what he would discover down there.  
  
The Blue Bomber hit the ground with a thud, stumbling forward. His head jerked up sharply, whipping his Mega Buster around. The ceiling was now sealed and he found himself in a cell. While three of the walls were solid steel, the door was made of metal bars. They looked fairly new too, not something that had been sitting long. With a roar the charged shot housed in his buster tore free, vaporizing the bars in an instant.  
  
Mega Man stepped out into the corridor, finding it well lit. The walls were lined with monitors, each bearing the flickering image of past robot masters he had defeated. Pausing to stare at Quick Man, he realized these weren't just images...they were trapped! Each of the robot masters was encased in a solid, clear block. Of what, Mega Man didn't know. All of them were deactivated at the moment, it was impossible to tell if energy was being sucked from them or drawn into them.  
  
The corridor gave Mega Man chills. Bubble Man, Wood Man, Metal Man...This entire corridor was dedicated to the Second Robot Rebellion. Mega found it eerie to see these fierce warriors in such a state, hurrying to the end of the corridor. The door slid open, slamming back down behind him once he had entered. No turning back.  
  
At the end of this corridor Mega saw that the door bore Wily's signature: 'Dr. W' scrawled over a circle. These walls were no different from the last, robot masters encased in the same strange substance. Guts Man, Cut Man, Bomb Man...all deactivated. Mega reached for the door panel in a hurry, yet it did not open. He felt eyes on him, spinning with Mega Buster drawn to face the wall to his right. Elec Man's eyes were open.  
  
The robot master smirked, shattering the material around him. Mega leapt back, charging his weapon. He couldn't fathom why Wily was reviving such out-of-date robot masters, but here before him stood a very irate Elec Man.  
  
"Mega Man! I've been waiting to settle the score with you!" Elec Man cried. "You don't have to do this! Dr. Light created you, we don't have to fight anymore!" Mega Man tried to convince his brother. "Fool! You destroyed me once, I won't let you do it again!" with that Elec Man clenched his fist, his electrical powers beginning to crackle around it. As he made a punching motion the burst of electricity was set free, ripping through the air towards its master's opponent.  
  
Mega Man hit the ground, narrowly avoiding the bolt of raw electricity. He had felt it singe his armor for a moment. Standing, he let loose the power stored within his arm cannon, the blue orb rocketing towards Elec Man.  
  
"What?!" the master gasped, caught off guard by this power he had never before witnessed. Stunned, he did not dodge as the glowing energy shattered his armor, tearing through his chest and searing his circuits to nothingness. For a second he staggered, his eyes rolling back in his head as oil and other fluids sprayed from the gaping hole in his chest. "But...but...tha-...not fair!"  
  
With that, Elec Man collapsed in a heap, his body spasming with the left over electricity still running through his circuits. With a sad sigh Mega Man grabbed his dead brother's arm, absorbing the fallen robot's power. He had a feeling he would need it. Just behind the sorry scene the door slid open.  
  
It was time. He would make Wily pay for forcing him to kill one of his brothers yet again. Mega Man's boots clanked on the cold metal floor as he stepped through the doorway into the darkness. The blue bomber didn't flinch when the door slammed shut, trapping him in the room with what had to be his arch-nemesis.  
  
The lights flickered on, illuminating a massive room. It was not decorative, appearing to be more of a coliseum than a laboratory. This wasn't right. More disturbing than that, there was no Wily. Just what was going on here?  
  
Mega's questions were answered soon enough, panels on the walls sliding open. For the longest time nothing happened. Looking through one of the panels, trying to see into the darkness, Mega could hear the shattering of glass. Not just one or two, but dozens. He gulped, stepping back into the center of the arena. Two he could manage, maybe even three or four. But all of them?  
  
Out of the hidden doorways they came: Air Man, Yamato Man, Grenade Man, Slash Man, and all the others. All wore grins upon their faces, eager to begin the slaughter. All wanted revenge on this one robot, the one who had slain each and every one of them in combat. Mega knew that even if Protoman came it would accomplish nothing, they would merely be destroyed together.  
  
Like a sea of metal, the mob lunged towards him. Mega Man leapt up into the air, firing in all directions. He hit a few, but they would get back up. Even if they didn't, with these numbers it didn't matter. Metal blades, spines, and even a hard knuckle flew towards him. Ducking in mid- air, the blade whizzed overhead. One of the spines however found its mark, lodging itself into Mega's shoulder. He was about to scream as the hard knuckle connected with his gut, silencing him in shock and sending him plummeting into the back wall.  
  
"I didn't want to destroy you!" he gasped to the mob as he staggered to his feet, "You gave me no choice, if I didn't you would have taken over the world!" They merely leered, inching closer to their prey. Mega stood, wiping leaking oil from his chin. His mega buster hummed with life, if he was going to be destroyed he'd do the best he can to stop them. Suddenly the ground began to shake. Tightly packed as they were, the hoard of robot masters stumbled for a moment, the uproar painful to Mega's sound receptors. The sound of metal tearing as if by great force did nothing to ease the audible pain in the room. The ceiling ripped and tore, a thick bolt of purple lightning slamming to earth, utterly vaporizing a robot master and sending those around him flying.  
  
"Oh no..." Mega moaned, knowing full well what was coming. It happened all so fast, a bright flash knocking the robot masters off their feet. Hovering above them, black and purple armor crackling with power, was Bass. His typically golden crests were jagged and purple, magnificent metal wings extending behind him. Frenzied red eyes darted about the room, his right hand crackling with immense power, his Forte Buster glowing with the fully charged energy it stored.  
  
"Mega Man, I will finish you myself!" Bass shouted, thrusting his fist into the air. The power stored within his hand roared and exploded, lightning raining down upon the robot masters. They struggled to escape, clawing madly against one another as the deadly rain tore them asunder. Oil, black blood, splattered Mega and Bass' armors as the true slaughter commenced. Knowing he had no choice but to fight, Mega struggled against the robot masters as well. It was utter chaos and he could see Bass loved all of it.  
  
In minutes the 'war' was over. Standing amongst the corpses of the fallen was the fused Bass and Treble, unscathed despite the battle they waged. Mega Man gazed in shock and horror around the room at the fallen robots, unable to believe Bass was capable of such carnage.  
  
"Bass...how could you? They were your brothers, your comrades in arms! Wily will-" "Dr. Wily will do nothing, you fool! He betrayed me, I don't need him! In fact, he's stranded miles from here in his mangled saucer right now! I will be the one to destroy you, Mega Man. Besides, they're just scrap, we are the future," Bass said with a twisted grin. "Well, I am," he added as an afterthought, "You aren't going to be around long enough to see the future."  
  
With that the ebony robot fired a solid beam of energy from his Forte Buster, slamming Mega Man against the back wall. The blue robot let out a shriek, twisting against the onslaught of destructive force. He could feel his armor giving way, the first of his circuits beginning to fry under the intense heat. The deadly purple beam and the leering face of his rival were all Mega Man could see, this was going to be his last...  
  
A streak of red interrupted the purple and black clouding his vision. Suddenly the pain wasn't as bad, the burn still ached yet the force of the beam was absent. Mega could make out something going on in front of him, a red and gray form mixed with a green glow. Words swam through his audio receptors yet nothing connected.  
  
As his vision cleared, Mega could see that it was Protoman standing before him, his shield blocking the ray of death. Mega Man's circuits jolted as he realized Proto was charging his buster. It was infinitely more powerful than his own, but at a price: it drew from Protoman's energy, right down to his life support. They were saying something but he couldn't make it out. Bass seemed angry, real angry. Mega could hear the Protoshield cracking under the strain.  
  
Proto risked it, reaching out around his shield and firing his buster. Mega could see the sharp jolt race through his body as the buster sapped his strength, firing a brilliant, white-hot ball of raw power at Bass. The villain tried to leap out of the way yet failed, the glowing orb shattering his right wing.  
  
Bass and Treble separated, revealing Treble had taken most of the damage. The wolf's right side was practically seared off, dripping life fluids. The beast let out a mournful whimper, its master moving to clutch it to himself. The mixture of sorrow and hatred in Bass' eyes shocked even Mega Man. Treble whimpered some more, then laid motionless.  
  
Mega looked at Proto, noticing he was leaning heavily on his shield. There was no way they could possibly combat Bass in this shape. His own body clicked and whirred, refusing to send energy to his Mega Buster. He couldn't fight like this, if Bass chose to destroy them he'd be able to.  
  
Bass stood slowly, covered in his beloved companion's vital fluids. His fists clenched, his steel teeth cracking under the strain of his jaw, eyes flaring with such intense hatred Mega Man shuddered. How could a robot feel so strongly, wasn't it impossible? Bass let out a growl, lunging with such intense speed there was nothing Proto could do. Bass' fist slammed against his jaw, grabbing him by the shoulders before he fell only to throw him hard against the ground. Despite Mega's feeble pleas Bass tore at the incapacitated robot, tearing his helmet from his head to beat him with it.  
  
Proto's features were a distorted mass of torn metal and oil by now, yet still Bass beat him. Throwing the helmet aside, his fist withdrew into his left arm and he leveled the gold-trimmed barrel with Protoman's mangled face.  
  
"Fuck you," Bass hissed in his rage, firing repeatedly into the dying robot's head. Hair, metal, and oil flew in all directions, accompanied by microchips. Mega Man screamed, struggling to inch closer to his fallen brother, to stop this monster. But there was nothing he could do, Proto's skull and oil painting Bass's armor and face.  
  
The barrel whipped around, level with Mega's eyes now. He stared into its infinite blackness, awaiting his end. He thought of what would happen to the world now, a world where Wily would be able to do as he pleased.  
  
"No..." Bass whispered, "I want to destroy you in combat...alone. I'll find you when I want you, I promise you." And with that Bass teleported away, leaving Mega Man the lone survivor in the mass tomb. With a deep, shaken breath, he deactivated, allowing his circuits to recover.  
  
Mega Man let out a moan as his visual receptors blinked on. Dazed, he tried to sit up, yet found he was obstructed by wires. Looking down, he could see that his armor had been completely removed. He was lying in a repair bay, Leaning over him were Auto and Dr. Light. Both looked especially grim.  
  
"Dr. Light..." Mega gasped. "Oh, you've come around," Dr. Light said, relieved. "Dr. Light, where is Proto?" the blue bomber asked, fearing the answer. "...He's gone, Mega Man. There was nothing we could do for him," Dr. Light replied, sorrow filling his voice.  
  
Mega said nothing, allowing the events to sink in as the repairs were continued. Protoman was destroyed, gone. It was so hard to believe, Proto had always been around. All that was left now was his oil-stained yellow scarf and his cracked Protoshield. Mega's damages had been so great that they had had to use parts from Protoman on the spot in order to keep him functioning. They left these parts within him, it was the closest anyone could do to keeping Proto alive.  
  
It took weeks, but finally Mega Man was back on his feet. He had retold time and time again what had happened, just how the events played out. Each time he recounted these events it hurt him. Dr. Light seemed to be working on something, so fanatically busy that it had to be important. Roll stayed and took care of him now, it meant more than anything to him. Someone wanted to see him survive. Deep down he knew he would have to face Bass. He wasn't sure if he would win or lose this time but he knew it was something he had to do.  
  
Mega Man was drawn deeper into the darkness. He didn't know by what this time, but he had to come back. He had to witness the mass grave one last time. He stood now, staring at the door. It hadn't changed, the metal still appeared fresh, Dr. Wily's signature just as ominous as it had been before. This time it opened for him.  
  
The corpses were strewn about as they were before, yet something felt different. Mega walked through them, stumbling over the crushed head of Snake Man. He winced yet plodded on. He had to see the spot where his brother had been struck down, he had to know it had really happened.  
  
He had to pay his respect.  
  
It was not a hard grave to find. Bits of the carnage still lingered, pieces of Protoman's face, a chip of his visor here and there. Mega's circuits surged with a sudden sadness. He looked down, looking where he had once lain, helpless. The body of Treble was missing as well, Mega could only assume Bass had come back for it.  
  
"I knew you'd be back," a familiar, sinister voice said. "I knew I'd see you here again, Mega Man."  
  
The blue 'bot whipped around to face Bass. He looked fully charged now, his armor refitted. The sorrowed, hateful look remained in his eyes. The Forte Buster glowed with a willingness to fight, to kill.  
  
"The doc gave me this chance. He said if I defeat you he'll complete me. Just like Dr. Light plans to do with you," Bass said calmly. "Complete you? What are you talking about?" Mega Man asked. "You're so naïve, you know that? With the incredible technology inside both of us did you really think this was it? That we are the final stage? The doc's been nosing around Dr. Light's computer, it turns out we're only a stepping-stone. Only one of us is destined to become a Reploid, Mega Man." Bass' words shook the blue bomber. "Reploid? Bass, what're you talking about?!" "Freedom, freedom from programming. We won't be restricted by our programs, or by the Rules of Robotics. Once I take care of you I'll be invincible," Bass leered. "I will stop you, Bass. I won't let you plague the world like that!"  
  
The fight began. Within moments energy ripped through the air, splashing against the steel walls of the coliseum. Mega ducked and rolled, firing his buster at Bass only to miss and have to dodge again. Neither robot could land a hit on the other as they wove in and out between the corpses.  
  
Open spaces, how Bass loathed them. He dashed to the exit, slamming into the door with enough force to knock it down. He vanished into the maze of corridors, Mega Man in hot pursuit.  
  
They dashed through the hallways, shots ringing out every few seconds. Several pipes were shattered, filling the corridors with thick smoke. Mega couldn't see, could barely dodge Bass' buster shots. He knew his enemy was in his element, chaotic battle was just what Bass favored. He knew for sure his own shots were never going to come near the maniacal robot.  
  
Mega turned a corner only to discover they had ran out of hallway. He stood face to face with Bass, buster to buster. Without hesitation they fired upon one another, globes of yellow energy colliding with globes of purple. While capable of faster fire, the Forte Buster wasn't nearly as powerful. Mega Man's shots repelled Bass', sending them rocketing back into the barrel.  
  
Bass screamed in pain, feeling every circuit in his left arm fry. His armor was built to withstand this sort of pressure from the outside and thus from the inside, yet he could feel his circuits turn to molten liquid within the shell. His arm hung limp at his side, useless now. With the circuits severed the pain was fading. But Bass wasn't out yet.  
  
The black-armored robot slammed into Mega Man, knocking him off his feet. The Protoshield disconnected from Mega's back and skidded off into the darkness. While his rival was down, Bass used his free hand to tear a three-foot section of steel pipe from the wall, wielding it like a one- handed sword. As Mega stood Bass struck, swinging the pipe to slam it against the blue bomber's head. The force knocked him against the wall, denting his perfect blue helmet. As he leveled his buster with Bass' chest it was struck, the force denting the hard armor.  
  
"I won't lose to you, Mega Man!" Bass shouted, bringing the pipe around with enough force to damage the armor on Mega Man's chest. The 'bot stumbled back, trying to avoid Bass' wrath, yet he found that he could not. Bass was merciless, fighting as if a sword were his natural weapon.  
  
As Mega stumbled back Bass examined the pipe. Oil ran down it, he had hit his enemy with enough force to split his armor. A few more hits like that and Mega Man would be no more, he knew this. He had to get out, if he could not win here he would be forced to face Bass in the future. Even if it meant his enemy would become a Reploid too, he had to survive in case Wily tried to begin the rebellion yet again.  
  
And so the blue bomber turned and ran, activating his teleportation unit and escaping from the clutches of Bass. Even though he stood victorious, the black and gold robot felt no satisfaction. Mega Man was not dead and this fighting would continue after the transformation was made. But then...he would destroy his rival. He would be the most powerful. 


	2. The Grand Awakening

Chapter 2: The Grand Awakening  
  
A loud hissing filled the reploid's ears. In a matter of seconds his audio receptors adjusted and the sound was not quite so loud. Blackness faded to shapes and colors as the 'ploid's video receptors hummed to life. His body was still undergoing its initial boot and thus he remained paralyzed, but he was gradually becoming aware of his surroundings.  
  
Zero was in the hypersleep capsule; he had been placed here years ago. But by whom? He could no longer remember. He tried to think back but found he could not, his memory cells had not yet booted or they had been damaged by the long sleep. His processor was alerting him that the boot was complete, yet his memory cells still refused to function. He hoped they would come back in time, but he had more pressing matters to attend to.  
  
Finding his arms working once more, Zero pressed against the glass-like front of his small prison. After a moment the lock clicked, the door sliding open. For the first time in years, the reploid's feet touched the ground. His body whirred in protest but adapted in seconds.  
  
Walking slowly around capsule, Zero found a small computer terminal to the right of the door. Either he had been programmed to interface with it or memories were slowly returning; he could not tell but found himself capable of operating the control pad. A small screen above the touch-pad brought up his technical specifications.  
  
Poking around the terminal, Zero's exploration was suddenly interrupted by an error sign. It stated that his designated awakening date and the current date were not aligned. Not only that, but there was a ten year difference! The screen told him that ten years after his sleep began, the capsule was damaged and this caused it to reset. It warned further that this added ten years of hibernation could cause temporary to permanent damage to his memory cells and overall functionality.  
  
Angered by this news, Zero slammed his fist against the monitor. Underestimating his own strength, his fist went through the screen and snapped through several important circuits before he stopped himself. The capsule shook and Zero heard something rattle around inside. What else was in the capsule with him?  
  
Returning to the front of the capsule, Zero found what appeared to be a hilt. It was decorated with a red jewel at the bottom of the hilt and wrapped in brown, now-warn leather. It lacked a hand guard for the most part. Odder than that, it lacked a blade. Rolling it between his fingers, he looked over every inch of the strange device. Squeezing it in his clenched fist, he felt a tremendous surge of energy as the hilt seemed to literally link with his systems, buzzing to life.  
  
A crackling green blade of pure energy shot forth from the hilt. Zero could feel the power circulating through both body and blade. But not just that, he also felt a segment of his memory cells click back to life. He knew how to use this weapon, but not only that...a clear memory returned to the reploid.  
  
He was looking around, standing inside a stonewalled building. It looked to be a dungeon converted into a laboratory. An old, balding man with a bushy moustache was talking to him.  
  
"This will be your saber, Bass. I saw how you dealt with that blue bastard using nothing but a pipe. This saber is one of a kind, I salvaged the life gem of Treble to make it function. It will link with you the way he did. Never lose it, you must defeat Mega Man with it. I have worked too hard on you for you to fail, Bass! When you awaken seek him out, destroy him!" the man raved.  
  
"Will do, Doc," Zero heard himself saying, yet the voice was not his own. Looking down at the saber in his hand, he found his wrist banded gold and his forearm black. He remembered lying down on a table, his left arm swaying uselessly. After that, the world went black and his memory faded once more.  
  
"Perhaps," Zero murmured, "More memories will come to me." He powered down the saber, locking it in place over his left shoulder. Gazing around the room, he found it was not the dungeon he last recalled. The room was a solid steel square with a single functioning door directly across from the opening of the capsule.  
  
Walking across the room, he found that age had taken its toll on the touch pad that activated the door. Without a second thought Zero brought his saber to hand and slashed through the door in a few quick strokes. Sheathing the blade once more, he stepped through.  
  
The steel turned to stone just outside the door. Zero walked the winding path through what appeared to be a cave, dim light filtering in from an unknown source. As he neared the end he found the light streaming from cracks in the ceiling. A human would have no way out, there had been a cave-in years ago. Zero charged his circuits, storing energy like a tightly coiled spring. He found both his forearms glowing with energy and pointed them in the direction of the exit. Both hands split horizontally, creating a path for the energy's escape.  
  
There was a massive explosion as the beams of energy collided with the rock, creating a gaping path for Zero to follow. He leapt up, touching down on level ground. Grass was beneath his boots as he stood, looking around warily for enemies. He was in a park and humans seemed to be all around. Families, couples, men, women, teenagers, children; humans were everywhere!  
  
Zero's eyes nearly glazed over as part of his mind surged to life. He was in no danger yet a deep lust surfaced within him. The reploid licked his lips, eyes darting from left to right and back again as a crowd began to curiously form around him. His body begged for release and he was more than willing to give it, he had to feel more.  
  
The saber found its way to his hand once more, the green blade springing to life. Now the humans panicked, but to no avail. He dashed at a pack of them, cutting three down with a single slice. Blood splattered across Zero's red chestplate and face. He licked it from his lips, leaping into the air and coming down on another pack of the flesh creatures, cutting them to ribbons with frantic swings. The blood ran into his eyes and the reploid saw red, his circuits racing in euphoria as he lashed out at another two, bringing them down.  
  
In no more than minutes the park was empty. The lucky had fled and the unlucky had perished beneath Zero's blade. Something new was storming into the park, lots of them. Zero recognized them as creatures of his own species, yet these were bland. Their armor lacked zeal and was solid blue in color, that and their helmets covering all but the faces of this new 'threat.'  
  
At the moment twenty of these reploids were converging on him. He stood and waited for them, watching as they surrounded him with their blaster pistols drawn. He could faintly hear them ordering him to put down his weapon and other such nonsense, but the bloodstained reploid merely laughed.  
  
Quick as a gunshot, Zero charged. He cleaved through five of the unprepared attackers with a single stroke, impaling another and cutting away through the throat of a fifth. The black blood of robots mixed with the red of the humans on his face and chest. Blaster shots burned Zero's back but only succeeded in exciting him more. He laughed louder, more maniacal, as he cut down his enemies until but one was left.  
  
The last of the reploids stood shaking, his gun dropping to the ground. Eyes wide with fear, the robot stammered, "N-n-no! D-d-d-d-don't kill me!" and ran. Zero ran and leapt, coming down in front of the coward. Its eyes went wide and it gurgled as Zero's saber was thrust through its abdomen. He twisted the sword and pulled it out through his final attacker's side, silencing him for good.  
  
"That's enough," Zero said absently, "I must take my leave." And so the sword was returned to its sheath and he ran across the park, finding an alley and diving in. He would not wage a full-scale war, not yet. But for now this should have them talking. With that thought, Zero grinned and melted into the darkness.  
  
Meanwhile, across the city, the Maverick Hunter HQ was in an uproar. Reports from dozens of witnesses were being called in about the City Park Massacre as the media had already dubbed it. A red and white reploid had killed anywhere from twenty to fifty humans and the twenty-five members of the first response unit that had been sent out to try and bring the threat to an end. The maverick then dove into an alley and scaled a building. From there, the trail went cold.  
  
Sigma slammed his fist against the computer in frustration, "Dammit! How could he just vanish like this? He appears out of the ground to massacre and then just runs away!"  
  
Sigma was interrupted as a reploid of short stature walked up to him. It was Chill Penguin. "Boss," he said, trying to get Sigma's attention, "We've finished analyzing the scene. It would appear that he was left dormant in a cave where the park is now. The capsule found in the cave was similar to the one X was found in ten years ago. He broke the capsule's computer and it's currently unsalvageable."  
  
"Well keep trying," Sigma growled, returning to his work. He scanned the screens over and over again, hoping a security camera would pick up some trace of this new menace's movement. The sky teams were reporting back with nothing. If Storm Eagle's elite failed him, there was no telling how crafty this maverick was.  
  
Sigma was by no means a novice Maverick Hunter. In fact, he was the founder along with his eight comrades in arms. Since the Maverick Hunters became an official organization seven years go, the membership ballooned from eight to five hundred and seventy-six. Even with the rise in numbers, none surpassed the nine founding members, now called Epsilon Unit. They were deployed only to face the greatest of threats and most dangerous of mavericks.  
  
"Sir," a voice crackled over the radio, "Sir, come in!" It was Storm Eagle. "What is it, Storm," Sigma barked into the receiver. "Something strange is happening in the industrial district. The machines are going haywire, I believe they have been infected with the maverick virus, Sir!" "Good job, Storm! I trust you to take care of the problem but I'll be heading out with Kuwanger just to be safe. Sigma out."  
  
Sigma turned on the intercom, "Boomer Kuwanger, gear up and prepare for deployment. I repeat; Boomer Kuwanger, gear up and prepare for deployment!"  
  
With his orders issued, Sigma stood and ran from the control room. While he trusted Storm Eagle to get the job done, he would not underestimate this new threat. Making a detour through the armory Sigma grabbed his two sabers and strapped them to his back, picking up a class A burst fire rifle. Slinging it over his shoulder, Sigma continued to the docking bay. Epsilon Unit's transport would be ready for them there. No mavericks would be allowed to live under Sigma's watch. None.  
  
Zero stumbled, but only slightly. The warehouse was dark and his sensors had not yet adapted. Evening was setting upon the city as well. And while it was faint, Zero could make out something overhead. Sounds of battle slowly reached his ears from all directions; something was coming for him.  
  
While Zero didn't know how exactly, he seemed to have a certain power over the lesser robots. Merely being around him corrupted them and turned them to what he assumed was this 'maverick' state the reploids and humans seemed to be blathering about. Whatever it was, it was certainly useful. Whatever was after him would be weakened by the time it made its way to the back of the warehouse.  
  
The roof began to shake and before Zero could react, it was gone. A strong gust of wind tore it off the building, sending debris in every direction. Zero leapt into the shadows, trying to spot just what caused this abnormal wind.  
  
A figure was lowering itself from the sky, its head darting from side to side. Long, powerful-looking wings flapped in the night sky as the being descended. Whatever it was, it certainly looked like more fun than the petty reploids that had assaulted Zero earlier. The creature fixed its gaze on him.  
  
"Come out and surrender, maverick!" a firm voice called from the sky. When Zero returned no response, it pointed its right arm at him. The air visibly rippled as a twister smashed the crate Zero was hiding behind, nearly catching him in its strong pull.  
  
Zero leapt atop a stack of crates, drawing his saber. "I don't know who you are," he growled, "But you made a big mistake in coming after me!" "You made the mistake when you refused to surrender. Now prepare to face the consequences!" Storm Eagle barked back.  
  
He fired on Zero with his twisting tornado once more, smashing the boxes beneath the maverick's feet. Zero was quick though, springing from the boxes and rebounding off the wall. He launched himself at the hunter, slamming into Eagle's chest with his shoulder and bringing him down to the ground with a heavy thud, only to spring away lest he face the wrath of a tornado point blank.  
  
The hunter stood as well, his wings glowing with energy. As he beat them the same terrible gust came up, sending crates and the robots that had not yet been destroyed hurtling at Zero. He dashed into the wind, thrusters on his boots keeping him from being blown away entirely.  
  
Struggling against the wind, Zero dodged boxes and robots, trying with all his might to break through the wall of wind. To his surprise, his opponent could not maintain the gust for more than a minute or so. This was the opportunity he needed, lunging at the hunter who had managed to find him. His sword came down first through the right wing, shearing it neatly in half and bringing forth a scream from Storm Eagle. He threw up his arm instinctively to block the next attack, only to have it cut neatly through just below the elbow.  
  
Zero grinned, his enemy's oil quickly mixing with the dried oil and blood already on his chestplate. He brought his fist up hard into Storm Eagle's stomach, tearing through the metal and covering his fist in fresh oil. The bird-reploid screamed again; music to Zero's ears. He wanted to prolong this death as long as possible and drink every ounce of pleasure from it.  
  
"Eagle!" a voice boomed from across the warehouse. Zero saw a tall, muscular reploid with a bald head and apparently armed to the teeth standing in the doorway. Behind him was another, but Zero couldn't make it out. These seemed to be trained fighters, he knew he couldn't handle all three. Removing his fist from his opponent's stomach, Zero executed a perfect spinning kick to the jaw and sent Eagle to the ground.  
  
"Don't think I'm going to let you catch me now," Zero laughed, breaking through the wall and escaping into the night.  
  
"Eagle!" Sigma shouted again, racing towards his fallen comrade. How could Eagle fall after all these years? Sigma found him still functioning, dropping to his knees and grabbing the reploid's hand in both of his own.  
  
"Speak to me Storm, can you function? We'll get you back to base for repairs right away," Sigma promised. "I'll...I'll be fine, Sigma. In...too much pain. Systems shutting down," Storm Eagle told his commander, his eyes fading to black.  
  
Sigma stood. "Get him into the transport, now!" he ordered Boomer Kuwanger. "Yes sir!" the bizarre hunter said with a nod, carefully picking up his comrade. For a second he shimmered, then he was gone, leaving a faint ghostly trail behind him as he raced to the transport.  
  
Sigma gazed at the hole this maverick had left. He was burned into Sigma's brain now. That maniacal grin and menacing glare, the oil-covered yet still brilliant red and white body, and that long blonde ponytail that trailed behind his head. Something about his design just didn't fit the description of any reploid Sigma had seen and his actions weren't those of one infected with the virus. Could this reploid have been built maverick?  
  
Three days. In just three days this new maverick, who called himself Zero, had brought chaos to Capcom City. He had single-handedly wiped out two of the lesser nine-man units that had been sent to chase after him, Storm Eagle was still recovering, and a good portion of the human Maverick Hunters were mysteriously taking their sick days.  
  
Needless to say, Sigma was furious. Storm Eagle would be out of commission for a while and Sigma needed all the help he could get. Luckily, there was a reploid rising through the ranks that could temporarily be deployed with Epsilon Squadron.  
  
Simon Erickson had joined the Maverick Hunters only a few months ago yet his skills surpassed even some of the veterans. He was a peculiar hunter, covered from the neck down in dark purple armor. His primary weapon was his shoulder-mounted cannon, which fired a variety of ammunition. He also armed himself with dual pistols and a belt loaded with hand grenades. Sigma noted that he was cocky, and while armored, he never wore a helmet. His face was well defined and his icy eyes colder than a human's could ever be. Cockiness aside, Sigma readily welcomed him to the team.  
  
"Sigma! Sir, come in!" the radio crackled, catching Sigma's attention. "What is it?" he demanded. "We saw him sir, the red maverick! We saw him duck into a cave out in the wastelands!" the voice on the radio informed him. "Good job, men! Now get out of there, I'm going to take care of him personally."  
  
Dropping the radio, Sigma headed for the transport. Kuwanger, Armadillo, and Erickson had all been deployed to deal with the sudden surge in maverick robots; Sigma would have to take care of this alone. He looked forward to the upcoming battle, grinning as he entered the transport and left the hangar. 


	3. The Duel

Chapter 3: The Duel  
  
Zero ran, but it was not in fear. Something guided his feet; first out of the city and then beyond the grasslands. He was in a desert wasteland and it seemed so much like home. He couldn't help but wonder why he felt this way; perhaps an ages-old memory guided him here. He could make something out in the distance, a slight rise in the terrain. His footsteps beat faster against the packed earth. Whatever called him to this place had a powerful sway.  
  
Zero stopped at the entrance, gazing into the blackness. This cave had been a mine long ago. Hazy recollections danced in his memory cells, vanishing abruptly when he tried to recall them. He became aware that they all involved this strange place.  
  
Not fearing what lay ahead, Zero stepped forward into the gaping maw. The lights in the mine had long since gone out, but Zero did not need them. The path stopped abruptly at a pit, yet he halted moments before falling in. The force was pulling at him, tugging roughly at his mind. It begged for him to jump. Curious, Zero leapt. His boots thudded heavily against a metal floor. The triangular gem embedded in his helmet suddenly flared white, illuminating the passageway. As Zero walked he passed prisons of some sort, yet they were all empty.  
  
Zero stopped short, drawing his blade. Something was ahead. Approaching cautiously, he found it to be nothing more than a corpse. It was rusted beyond recognition and covered in oil stains, covered in a thick layer of dust. A large hole had been burned through the robot's chest. Somehow this form felt familiar to Zero, yet he couldn't place it.  
  
The corpse had fallen in front of a door. While it was rusted, Zero could make out some sort of signature on it. 'Dr. W' was scrawled over a circle. For a brief second the old man of Zero's memory flashed through his head. There was no doubt the power was out, so Zero bashed through the door.  
  
Looking in, Zero's circuits froze. There were corpses, corpses everywhere. Bits and pieces of robot were scattered across a massive arena. Dust and cobwebs aged the arena, the oil that had no doubt flooded it long since dried. The thought of so much death in one place caused Zero's circuits to surge slightly nonetheless.  
  
Zero walked on, embracing the sweet scent of decay as it swept around him, embracing him warmly and clinging to him. As faint as it was, this all seemed so very familiar. Putting his sword away, Zero felt something slick on his hands. Looking down at them, he found them covered in blood. His sensors jerked in shock, only to find the blood had vanished. Memories were drifting back, drifting slowly back. This was all so familiar, but how...  
  
The memories crashed over Zero like a powerful wave. He fell to his knees as they raced through him, overloading his memory cells. He had done this. All this death had been his doing! He saw himself tearing these robots apart one by one, piece by piece. When his eyes fell on a blue robot, he boiled over with rage. That was the one his creator wanted him to destroy!  
  
"My creator," Zero mumbled as the memories trickled to a halt. "My creator, Doctor Wily. And Mega Man, my nemesis...I can remember now," the reploid exclaimed as he stood, "I was created to kill Mega Man! From my very first awakening, I was to destroy him. Wily rebuilt my physical body yet kept my mind the same, hoping I would carry out his wishes in this new life he gave me."  
  
Zero grinned, "Well, the least I can do is repay him." He stood, gazing once more at the carnage. The beauty of it stunned him, he had been able to wreak this much havoc even before his transformation into a reploid. But not alone. Zero froze again as memories assaulted him anew.  
  
Zero found himself standing in the laboratory again. At the time, he felt as heartbroken as a robot could. Compared to what he was capable of feeling now it was nothing, but at the time it had been overwhelming. The old man, Doctor Wily, was working on a mechanical wolf. From where Zero was standing, it looked rather beat up. Zero was also aware of the fact that he was in this strange black and gold body once more.  
  
"Can you fix him Doc?" Zero heard himself ask.  
  
"I'm afraid not, Bass. Treble is gone," the doctor said bluntly. Zero's circuits sizzled.  
  
"There has to be something you can do!" he shouted.  
  
"No Bass, he's beyond repair. I could build a new one like I have done with the other robot masters, but it would not be the same Treble," Wily told him. The old man removed something from Treble's chest. "Now get this body out of my site, I have work to do!"  
  
Zero's memory flashed forward. He was standing alone on a hill, staring down at a fresh grave. Hate and sadness swirled within him, the strength of the emotions incredible for a robot. Zero's buster arm was up in the air and he fired off three volleys in memory of his fallen friend. With that, he activated his teleportation unit. Saying a final goodbye, Zero was beamed up and away from the grave.  
  
Zero shook as the memory faded away. He was back in the real world, standing amongst the dead in the arena. He walked through the grisly scene, stirring up dust as he kicked parts of robots out of his way. There was a vacant space amongst the bodies, one where only a faded oil stain still lurked. It was here where Treble had died. Zero stared at the oil stain for a long time, unable to understand how he had grown so attached to the mechanical dog. Yet he had, and still he felt it. Trying his best to shrug it off, Zero turned from the scene and walked back towards the exit.  
  
The Epsilon Squadron transport touched down with a loud thunk, the engines dying and fading away. Just ahead Sigma could see a barricade had been made, a good hundred feet from the entrance to the cave. About half a dozen Maverick Hunters were crowded behind the barricade. Sigma knew they were class C hunters at best, nothing he could count on should this Zero character prove more trouble than expected. Sigma shook his head, remembering to keep his wits about himself. This was the same maverick that had single-handedly defeated Storm Eagle.  
  
Sigma stepped out of the transport, walking up to the barricade. The Maverick Hunters had turned to watch him, all of them looking incredibly relieved. Even if all of them were to take the maverick at once they would fail. They knew it, Sigma knew it, and Zero knew it.  
  
"What's the situation?" The Hunter leader barked.  
  
"The maverick's still inside, sir!" what appeared to be the commander of the unit reported, standing straight and facing Sigma.  
  
"Are you sure there are no other exits he could have escaped from?"  
  
"None, sir! We scouted the parameter before constructing the barricade, sir!"  
  
"Good job, men. Now I'll show you how we deal with maverick scum. I don't want any of you following me, it's far too dangerous," Sigma ordered.  
  
"Yes sir!" the unit confirmed as one.  
  
Sigma walked calmly towards the cave entrance, hands at his sides. He saw the footprints in the dust; Zero had been here. From the looks of things, he had not yet left. Sigma stepped into the darkness, his sensors switching to infrared. Not too far off, he heard a thud. Jerking his head in the direction of the sound, Sigma found himself face to face with Zero.  
  
"You must be Sigma," the maverick sneered, "I've heard a lot about you."  
  
"Hello, Zero. Not many mavericks cause us this much trouble. You will be an example to those who follow you," Sigma growled through clenched teeth.  
  
"Enough talking then. You may not be my target, but your blood will be just as satisfying," Zero laughed, leaping back and drawing his saber.  
  
Sigma drew his own sword, igniting it and charging his opponent. He was fast, but Zero was faster, leaping aside and swinging his saber at Sigma's stomach. Sigma's hidden thrusters ignited, pushing him out of the way of the strike in the nick of time. He turned, charging his enemy. Zero charged as well, their blades colliding in a surge of energy and sparks.  
  
Zero leapt back, his feet connecting with the wall for an instant before the powerful thrusters in his legs activated and sent him hurtling towards Sigma. Their blades clashed once more, the force of the attack knocking Sigma off balance. He leapt back, only to take the offense once more.  
  
Sigma growled, his enemy was enjoying this! Zero's maniacal grin was haunting as their blades struck one another time and time again, sparks flying. The two leapt around the cave, dashing and striking, hoping just a single stroke would connect. The longer the fight ran on, the more Zero seemed to enjoy himself. Sigma ducked but a moment too late, feeling the heat of Zero's saber sear across his cheek. The oil dripping down his face seemed to triple the maverick's efforts. Sigma was being beaten back fast; the fury of this reploid's assault was like nothing he had ever encountered before.  
  
It was then that Sigma got lucky. Dodging Zero's horizontal slash, he brought the hilt of his sword down on Zero's hands and knocked the saber out of the maverick's hands. Sigma's luck did not last long, however, as the maverick quickly countered by kicking Sigma's sword away from him.  
  
Zero lunged, knocking Sigma back against the wall. He wailed on the Maverick Hunter's chest, stopping a blow with both hands and nearly ripping the arm from its socket. Sigma swung with his free arm, catching Zero hard in the jaw and slamming him against the opposing wall. He charged to uppercut, but the maverick leapt and rebounded off the ceiling, planting a boot in Sigma's head.  
  
Sigma growled angrily, the maverick was starting to test his patience. Zero had rolled and picked up his saber, charging his opponent. For a brief second Sigma saw something strange, a white 'W' flashed in Zero's blue gem. Zero was charging to slice Sigma in two across the stomach.  
  
Sigma saw his chance. Swinging with all his might, the Epsilon Squadron leader's fist connected with the gem and shattered it. The maverick screamed, his body wracked with pain as electricity surged through it. The electricity coursed through Sigma's arm as well, deadening it. He gritted his teeth to the pain as Zero stood motionless for a moment, the saber in his hands crackling then fading. It fell from his hands to the floor, shortly followed by its master.  
  
Sigma stood for a moment, dazed. It took a moment for everything that had happened to sink in. He looked down at the reploid then at the saber. He picked the later up first, hooking it in place behind his shoulder. Next he lifted the maverick up in his arms and carried him from the cave.  
  
Cheers greeted Sigma as he emerged victorious. He managed a grim smile, exhaustedly walking towards the transport. The men congratulated him still and followed, yet didn't enter the transport. It was private and belonged only to Epsilon Unit.  
  
Sigma locked the maverick in a stasis cell where he would stay until they reached headquarters. He couldn't risk an escape now, nor could he handle another battle. Both his arms were functioning well below optimum and his energy was running low, he would need repairs shortly after returning. Sigma couldn't help but wonder what would happen to this maverick, though. He knew very well that it should be melted down but that was not a fate he wanted it to see. If his memory could be erased Zero would make an excellent hunter. While the head of the Maverick Hunters, that decision would be up to Dr. Cain, the creator of the original reploids.  
  
Sigma paused, realizing that was not entirely true. Dr. Cain had only discovered the original reploid, but from there he made several others until reploids were capable of building themselves. Cain was considered the father of reploids, regardless of the fact that he himself had not created the technology.  
  
And then there was Mega Man X, the first reploid. Sigma couldn't say he liked him in the least. He had offered X a position in the Maverick Hunters, knowing he would excel at battle. X was designed to be a fighter, Sigma could feel it. Ignoring this, ignoring the immense good he could do, X refused the offer. Sigma remembered it clearly, X had stated that he didn't want to hurt anyone. Sigma had tried to explain that this would keep the city of Capcom safe, but X still refused. One day he would come around and see the light in Sigma's words, Sigma knew it.  
  
Dr. Cain looked over the computer screens once more. He had hoped that the first results had been a glitch or miscalculation but by now he had run the system scan at least a dozen times. It was clear that the red and white reploid lying on his maintenance table was not a reploid.  
  
Zero's components were eighty-nine percent similar to the original reploid, Mega Man X. Even with this being true, the circuitry was wired in a slightly different fashion that led Dr. Cain to believe Zero had been created by someone other than Dr. Light. Not only that, but the eleven percent of Zero's components that differed from Mega Man X's were not those of a reploid.  
  
As a matter of fact, they weren't even robotic. While reploids had complex synthetic brains that functioned almost identically to those of humans Zero had an actual brain. It was modified to connect with his systems and function exactly like a modern reploid brain, differing in efficiency by maybe a hundredth of a percent. Where reploids had completely inorganic generators Zero had a greatly modified heart.  
  
Dr. Cain was puzzled by these changes; why had Zero's creator constructed him in such a way? Converting the brain and heart would require much more precision and effort than building the processor and generator, even in the times when Mega Man X and Zero had been built. Although, Dr. Cain thought, it would take considerably less time. The creators of the reploid race must have been technological geniuses, Dr. Cain couldn't grasp why one of them would cut corners like this.  
  
Zero's components were not the only things troubling Dr. Cain. The reploid's programming was equally confusing. There were no traces of the maverick virus in Zero, yet he had acted as a maverick and had turned many machines maverick merely by keeping them in his presence. The maverick virus would not simply disappear like this no matter what had happened to Zero, this had to be how he had been made and programmed. There was, however, a strange program clinging to parts of his mind. It was unlike any program Dr. Cain had analyzed before and appeared to be a dormant one. The program had been lost or corrupted at some point in time and there were not enough remnants for Cain to assemble what it could possibly mean.  
  
Cain glanced over the strange creation on his table once more. Zero's chest plate and other armor had been removed to scan his wiring. There was something that just wasn't right, but Cain couldn't place it. Someone had made Zero to kill. Perhaps Cain's questions would be answered when the results on the capsule returned.  
  
Since Zero had not been infected with the maverick virus there was no need to cure him or attempt replacing the commonly infected parts. In this case, Zero's memory could be saved to disc and erased, leaving him with his combat and personality programming. This way he could be raised to do good and become one of the Maverick Hunters under Sigma.  
  
Heaving a sigh, Cain went to work. Backing up and formatting such a complex robot's memory would be a true test of his skill and patience. Luckily, he had no problem with burning the midnight oil, and working on a meaningful project certainly would prove more interesting and rewarding than the nights of tinkering with gadgets he had fallen into lately. With that thought, Cain set to work.  
  
The world seemed empty, cold and black and soundless. To Zero, there was nothing. He existed alone, outside of the world. His memories were fading rapidly until he was no longer aware that he had existed before this very moment. The fading stopped then and he became aware. That undefined moment became his birth, now he waited in blackness.  
  
First came the hum. It was not a strong hum, but it was the only sound in Zero's world. He clung to it, not afraid, but curious as to where it would take him. Words began passing through his head. First muffled, like the ruffle of wings behind glass. The voices became louder, clearer. Zero was still unable to comprehend the words, grasping only enough to tell that the voices spoke of him.  
  
The world came in a rush, like the leaking dam had just given way. The blackness flashed momentarily to white, then dimmed and became arrangements of colors as Zero's optics calibrated for what her perceived to be the first time. He was lying on a table of sorts, armor removed.  
  
"Greetings, Zero," a kindly old voice spoke, "I am Dr. Cain. Your systems malfunctioned and Sigma brought you back here." Zero turned his head to look at the old man, finding him gesturing towards a tall, bald reploid in green armor.  
  
"I repaired you and brought you back to life," the old man said.  
  
Zero sat up, looking over the two. Dr. Cain was short, maybe five feet tall. He was old and frail with a long beard, appearing to be the exact opposite of his companion. This Sigma reploid looked powerful and almost coldhearted, standing at around seven feet, maybe taller. This was clearly one reploid that Zero did not want to pick a fight with.  
  
Zero sat up and slid off the table, looking around. "So," he began, "You two saved me? How can I repay you?"  
  
"I was hoping you'd ask, Zero," Sigma said in his gruff, but not entirely unfriendly, voice. "You are a reploid with incredible combat capabilities. With some training you'd make a fine Maverick Hunter. I am asking you to join us."  
  
Something about the thought of combat made Zero's circuits surge. This was an offer he knew he couldn't refuse, the thought of combat felt more tempting than anything else. When Sigma extended his hand, Zero shook it readily.  
  
Sigma grinned. "Welcome to the team, Zero." 


End file.
